Carbonated beverage dispenser



Nov. 24, 1953 T 2,660,343

CARBGNATED BEVERAGE DISPENSER Filed March 26, 1949 INVENT01.- Edward B. Ghorplcn.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a portable dispenser for beverages and more particularly to a portable container for dispensing carbonated beverages with means for maintaining pressure andcooling the beverages during depletion of the container.

one object of the present invention is to provide' aportable container for dispensing carbonated beverages which will eliminate the necessity for hustlers at ba'll parks, stadiums and other places of amusementto carry a heavy load of bottled beverages inice, uncap the bottles, pour the beverage into a papercup', and carry the bottles back.

A further object of the resentinvenuon is to provide a beverage dispenser wh-ich'will maintain'a constant pressure'on the contentsof the container to prevent decarb'onation' and facilitate the dispensing through a suitable faucet preferably attached to a flexible conduit, and which will also keep the beverage and container cooled during the period of service;

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a portable beverage dispenser which can be readily carried, for instance on the back of the hustler, will serve a large number of'carbonated drinks at one filling, and can be readily refilled and recharged for subsequent trips. v

Stillfurther objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings inwhich: A

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention with parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig; 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings in detail one preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein a portable dispenser H3 is shown consisting of a cylindrical container I2 having spherical ends l3 and 14 for holding a carbonated beverage ll. Container I2 is provided with a filler opening IS in one side of spherical end l3 for pouring the beverage into the container I 2 and a gas tight cover [6 adapted to retain pressure in the container.

A small heavy duty bottle l8 adapted to hold carbon dioxide (002) or other suitable gas at relatively high pressure is mounted concentrically within the container [2, as shown in Fig. 3, and depends from the upper spherical end l3.

The upper end of bottle I8 is in communication through nipple 20 with one of four outlets on a fitting'or connector 22. A second outlet on connector'22 is provided with a pressure relief valve 24 which is adapted to preventexcessive pressure from building up in the bottle I3 due to absorption of heat.

A third outlet on connector 22 is providedwith a gas filler valve 25 which may be similar in construction to a conventional tire valveand isprovided with a cap 26. Valve 25 is one form of check valve and is utilized to fill bottle [8 with carbon dioxide (CO2) gas at relatively high pressure from a suitable source such as a large bottle of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) (not shown).

The fourth outlet of connector 22 is connected through nipple 28 to a pressure reducing valve.

30, having a control knob 32 for regulating the pressure. The outlet 3Q of pressure reducing valve 30 is connected through elbow 3B, tubing 38,

and elbow 40 to a bushing 42 extending through the side wall of-container [2 adjacent the spherical end 13 and on the side opposite filler opening IS.

A check valve 44 is mounted in bushing 4z ins-ide'the container l2 and consists of a threaded- -of container I2 is provided with a threaded fit ting sc'to which is connected a coupling 52 on one e'rid'of a flexible hose 54. Another coupling 55 on the other end of hose 54 is connected to a faucet 5B for dispensing the beverage l i into a paper cupor any other suitable, disposablecontainer.

The faucet 58 is preferably one of the springclosed type shown having an operating lever 62 pivotally mounted at 64 to the housing 66 and adapted to be manually depressed by a finger 68 to open the valve and dispense the beverage ll into cup 60.

The lever 62 is pivotally connected at 10 to valve stem 12 which is urged downwardly by a spring 14 mounted between a collar 16 secured to housing 66 and a collar 18 secured to stem 12. Valve stem 12 is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation in-collar I6 and shoulder integrally formed on housing 66. The valve 82 mounted on the lower end of stem 12 is shown in Fig. 1 raised oii of the valve seat 84, where it will seat when pressure on lever 62 is released. In the position of the valve shown in Fig. 1 the beverage will flow between valve 82 and valve seat 84, and out through nozzle 86 as shown by the arrows.

In the operation of the apparatus the container I2 is preferably filled with a carbonated beverage I I from a premix dispensing system similar to those now being used in drugstores, and, after substantially filling the container l2 through opening 15, the cover 16 is replaced.

Bottle 18 is charged with carbon dioxide (CO2) gas by removing cap 26 and connecting filler valve 25 with the outlet of a commercial type bottle of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) at very high pressure. The expansion of the liquid CO2 into a gas will absorb heat tending to cool the bottle 18 which in turn will help cool the beverage l l during the period of service. The bottle I8 is filled with CO2 to a pressure of 100 to 150 pounds per square inch, the pressure being preferably about 120 pounds per square inch. Valve 25 is disconnected and the cap 26 is replaced.

The pressure reducing valve is set by handle 30 to discharge CO2 gas through outlet 34 at approximately 3 to 6 pounds per square inch, and thence through tubing 38 and check valve 44 into container l2.

The hustler can carry the dispenser It! on his back, carry a supply of paper cups 60 and dispense the beverages as needed from faucet 58.

As the carbonated beverage I I is dispensed from the container l2 pressure reducing valve 30 will release CO2 gas to replace the volume of beverage served and maintain a constant pressure on the beverage to prevent decarbonation and to force the beverage out through the nozzle 86 when faucet 58 is opened by finger pressure on lever 62.

The expansion of the CO2 gas from 120 pounds per square inch in bottle it to, say 4 pounds per square inch in the container 12 will be accompanied by a further heat absorption tending to maintain the temperature of beverage H at a pleasing level during the period of service.

Obviously, if desired, the container [2 can be filled with cold water and flavored syrup, and the apparatus disclosed can be used to carbonate the beverage by setting the pressure reducing valve 39 at the proper pressure and agitating the contents. The pressure could then be out down to about 4 pounds by manual release of the check valve 24 before dispensing the beverage. Since this procedure takes considerable time, it is preferable to fill the container 12 with a previously carbonated beverage as described above, unless a premixing system is not available. The former procedure also minimizes foaming during the dis- 4 pensing of beverage H into cups 60, but retains the proper degree of carbonization.

Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the present invention,

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A carbonated beverage dispenser comprising an elongated cylindrical container having spherical top and bottom ends, an elongated cylindrical bottle formed from inflexible material adapted to hold gas at high pressure and mounted concentrically within said container, said bottle extending from the top spherical end, a connector having four outlets mounted on said top spherical end with one of said outlets communicating with said bottle, a pressure relief valve mounted in a second of said outlets, a gas filled valve mounted in a third of said outlets, a pressure reduc ng valve having its inlet connected to a fourth of said outlets and diametrically opposite the pressure relief valve in said second outlet, conduit means extending from the outlet of said pressure reducing valve into said container in the vicinity of the top spherical end thereof, the outlet of said pressure reducing valve being disposed diametrically opposite said fourth outlet, a threaded fitting located in the bottom spherical and of said container, a flexible hose having a coupling on its inner end threadedly connected to said fitting and extending downwardly therefrom and a spring closed faucet on the end of said hose.

2. A carbonated beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the inner end of the conduit means extending from the outlet of the pressure reducing valve into the container is provided with a check valve disposed within said container.

EDWARD B. CHARPIAT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 445,257 Beck Jan. 27, 1891 575,932 Nageldinger Jan, 26, 1897 595,323 Lychenheim Dec. 14, 1897 1,312,642 Niemann Aug. 12, 1919 1,563,609 Zerk Dec. 1, 1925 2,465,628 Border Mar. 29, 19% 2,501,611 Nicholson Mar. 21, 1950 2,513,455 Cornelius July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 343,619 Great Britain Feb. 20, 1931 

